Fuel



Patented Jan. 20, 1942 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE".

FUEL

Joseph A. Wyler, Allentown, Pa., assignor to Trojan Powder Company,Allentown, Pa.

No Drawing.

2 Claims.

ject is to improve the combustion characteris-"t tics of fuels generallyused in' automobile and aeroplane engines.

Other and further objects will become apparent upon a perusal of thisspecification.

I have discovered that the addition or small proportions oftetranitromethane (C(NOzh) to oils used in Diesel engines produces afuel of improved characteristics. In general I may use as much as byweight, of tetranitromethane in the final mixture, although I preferabout 0.5- 1.5%. In a test, using an oil which was already of anespecially high quality (octane number of 68), in an engine which wasalso of exceptionally high quality (in which the combustion-acceleratingreagent would have less chance of showing improvement than it would havein the average compression-ignition engine) compared to the usualcompression-ignition engines, it was found that the addition of 4% oftetra'nitromethane produced a fuel which gave a higher maximum cylinderpressure (without knock) for the same advance angle, an improved exhaustappearance, a general improvement inthe combustion of the fuel, adecrease in the ignition la by 1 crankshaft degree in at 2,000 R. P. M.and permitted four degrees further retardation of injection beforemisfiring occurred. With an inferior fuel-oil to start with theseimprovements would be more marked, or a lesser amount oftetranitromethane could be used for obtaining the same relativeimprovement.

Application November 30, 1939, Serial No. 306,813

(Cl. 44-9) I The solubility and volatility of tetranitro- 'methane areexceptionally favorable for its usev not only in .the heavier paraflinicoils, but also in the lighter petroleum distillates as kerosene 5 andgasoline. Tetranitromethane dissolves in all proportions in thesematerials, has a boiling point of about 127 C. and a very favorablevapor tension. It is insoluble in water and, when dry, is non-corrosiveto metals.

10 Applicant is aware of the disclosure of such agents as methylnitrate, (CHaNOs) ethyl nitrate,

butyl nitrate, and the like, for use in improv-.

ing the ignition characteristics of oils and wishes to emphasize thathis agent, tetranitromethane,

is a material of an entirely different chemical and molecularconstitution and is not in itself an explosive, as are methyl and ethylnitrates.

Although my improved fuel is intended mainly i for Diesel engine use. Imay use a mixture of gasoline and tetranitromethanes, say about 95 parts(by weight) of gasoline to as much as 5 parts (by weight) oftetranitromethane in autoi motive engines in order to obtain improvedcombustion characteristics. B I do not limit myself to the abovedescription except as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim: 1. The method of accelerating the ignition of liquid fuels inan internal combustion engine of the typewherein ignition of the fuel isspontaneously effected by injection into the compressed air in theengine cylinder which comprises admixing with the fuel prior to ignitiona minor proportion of tetranitromethane.

2. The method of accelerating the ignition or liquid fuels in aninternal combustion engine of the type wherein ignition of the fuel isspontaneously effected by injection into the compressed air in theengine cylinder which comprises admixmg with the fuel prior to ignitionabout 0.5% of tetran'itromethane.

w JOSEPH A. WYLER,

